José María Arguedas: Realidad y Mito - El Arpa

Overview

A harpist (Pedro Llana) is seen positioning his harp near a waterfall. The narrator's voice says, "We knew that harpists went to the mountains to learn new melodies from the waterfalls." The harpist falls asleep, and some children climb up to steal his harp. The harpist wakes up and throws them off. A priest (Father Fausto Pusa) says that the story of harpists, mermaids, and waterfalls is pure fantasy. [He is referring to the belief that harpists receive help from mermaids in those places to tune their instruments.]